


Crystal shards

by ToxicPineapple



Series: Rantaro Amami Week 2k19 [3]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Conversations, Cuddling, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Rantaro Amami Week, These kids tbh, gentle angst, introspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 10:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20813939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToxicPineapple/pseuds/ToxicPineapple
Summary: “I just like the way you look in the breeze.” Rantaro eventually tells her, which is a massive oversimplification of what just ran through his head, but Kaede’s cheeks redden anyway. Ordinarily she’d shove his shoulder and turn away, calling him a flirt and a troublemaker, but this time she just closes her eyes and sighs, relaxing against him. Her hair is soft against his cheek and the smell of her shampoo (some kind of melon, honeysuckle, he thinks, though he’s not particularly well-versed in artificial melon flavours) is calming. Pleasant. Kaede’s all of the above, really; soft, calming, and pleasant. It makes him happy to come back to Japan. Even if every minute he’s spending not looking for his sisters feels like a waste.“I missed you.” She mumbles.---Rantaro and Kaede enjoy a date at the park.---Amami week day three: Paint/Breeze





	Crystal shards

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts:  
Day one (Sept 27): Autumn/Wealth  
Day two (Sept 28): Sail/Bracelet  
Day three (Sept 29): Paint/Breeze  
Day four (Sept 30): Risk/Sunset  
Day five (Oct 01): Travel/Blame  
Day six (Oct 02): Vehicle/Found  
Day seven (Oct 03): Birthday/Smile

“I wish I was a painter.” Rantaro remarks.

It was really warm yesterday, and honestly the weather’s been so sporadic lately (thanks, global climate crisis!) that Rantaro wasn’t entirely sure what to hope for for today. And the sun is still shining high above their heads, but the difference right now is that there is a comfortable amount of clouds blowing around, accompanied nicely by a cool, sweet-tasting breeze. It’s one of those summer days where the heat has been relentless for a long time and even the slightest drop in temperature is appreciated.

Kaede looks over at him, a small, playful smile on her face. Her blonde hair is messed up in the wind and her plum coloured eyes are teasing but affectionate and warm. A look he’s caught her shooting his way a couple times when she thought he wasn’t paying attention. Kaede can be a bit coy like that at times, almost begrudgingly showing affection, but Rantaro knows that that’s just the way she messes with him. And they have a good relationship. It’s a comfortable kind of teasing. Not the type that leaves him with a bitter taste in his mouth. Though admittedly, even if it were the opposite, he probably wouldn’t call her out on it.

“I bet Angie could teach you,” Kaede replies simply, and rests her head on his shoulder. She wouldn’t be so casual with touch normally (Rantaro secretly believes that it makes her embarrassed) but it’s summer vacation and he’s been off on a longer trip than usual until yesterday. This was a bit of an impromptu date, in that he showed up in front of her house when the sun barely was barely touching the horizon, but it’s nice sitting here. For all his traveling Rantaro doesn’t actually spend a lot of time in Tokyo, or Japan in general.

And why would he? None of his sisters got lost in Japan, there’s nothing for him here. Or at least, that used to be the case. Rantaro shifts himself, angles his body towards Kaede and rests his arm around her shoulders, his fingers finding their familiar resting places on her upper arm. She hums as she nuzzles his chest, a relaxed smile on her face, and she’s probably not entirely awake- it’s still fairly early in the day- but her eyes remain open nonetheless. He’s never been to this part before, despite it being so close to his girlfriend’s house. Of course, he’s only been to her house a couple of times, since they go to a boarding school, but the fact remains that it’s surprising. Especially since Kaede called this her favourite park when they passed it.

“Why the sudden interest in painting, anyhow? Aren’t you super rich or something?” It’s obviously a joke; they’re both aware, though perhaps Kaede more than Rantaro, of how wealthy he is. He shoots her a grin anyway, and she rolls her eyes. “You could probably do it if you wanted to. I think it’s more about self expression than actual skill.”   
  


The reason Rantaro said that is because of the way Kaede looks right now, it kind of makes him want to paint her. Which is a strange desire considering he’s never really held a paintbrush in his life. (Nothing against the hobby, he thinks art is beautiful, he’s just, busy.) The way her cheeks are a bit flushed from the wind, and the fact that she blinks a little bit faster and her eyelashes- long, fine, blonde- get all tangled up and she has to work extra hard to open her eyes back up again… her eyes always seem to glow in the sunlight, too. She’s just, beautiful, that’s all. The way that her eyes reflect the light like crystal shards and her thin fingers tap out a rhythm on her thigh like she’s playing the piano.

Plus, the way she’s dressed today, in a beige sweater and a light pink pleated skirt, as well as a chiffon scarf that matches her eyes (and of course the musical note pin in her hair) it’s hard not to want to get that down on a canvas. She’s more than beautiful she’s positively radiant and Rantaro kind of loses his shit every time he looks at her.

“I just like the way you look in the breeze.” Rantaro eventually tells her, which is a massive oversimplification of what just ran through his head, but Kaede’s cheeks redden anyway. Ordinarily she’d shove his shoulder and turn away, calling him a flirt and a troublemaker, but this time she just closes her eyes and sighs, relaxing against him. Her hair is soft against his cheek and the smell of her shampoo (some kind of melon, honeysuckle, he thinks, though he’s not particularly well-versed in artificial melon flavours) is calming. Pleasant. Kaede’s all of the above, really; soft, calming, and pleasant. It makes him happy to come back to Japan. Even if every minute he’s spending not looking for his sisters feels like a waste.

“I missed you.” She mumbles, and turns her face into his sweater, perhaps so she doesn’t have to meet his eyes when she says it. Rantaro looks at her for a long moment, shifts his hand from her upper arm to her head so he can stroke the silky blonde hairs that pool at the dip in her neck. Kaede shivers underneath his touch but perhaps instinctually leans into it, a low hum sounding in the back of her throat. “You’re always off doing something.”

  
“I know.” Rantaro considers apologising, but he doesn’t think that would be very honest. Besides, he doubts that’s exactly what Kaede is fishing for when she says stuff like that.

“I wish you’d take me with you sometime.” She turns her head back to look at him, and Rantaro doesn’t avert his gaze, but the comment does make his chest feel a little bit shaky. Kaede looks so genuine, it’s a bit hard for him not to start talking about everything right away and why he doesn’t want to burden her with his search. (That’s his own personal battle, not hers.) But he manages to keep it to himself for the moment. “Or at least tell me what you’re looking for out there.”

Rantaro hesitates, then brushes a couple strands of hair out of her eyes so he can see them better. “I don’t want to trouble you.” He says quietly. “Or make you feel obligated to help me.” And his travels aren’t safe, either, but if he tells her that she will almost certainly flip. Kaede worries a lot, even without knowing how often Rantaro almost dies on his search. She doesn’t need anything additional to stress her out. He makes himself smile when she furrows her brow, trying to smooth the creases from her face. “Besides, I’ve got it under control,” but it feels more like a platitude. He’d be able to mean it more if his search had actually yielded any results.

“I still want to help you though.” Kaede pouts. “I know that I’m not really very good at anything but playing the piano, but I have a good memory, and I’m told I’m very persistent.” A gust of wind picks up, gentle though, and messes up her hair again. She sits herself up, and Rantaro’s hand slips from her shoulders, but she just takes his other hand and presses it against the bench, serious. “You don’t have to tell me anything you’re not ready for, obviously, but I want to help you, Rantaro.”

God, the way she says his name should be  _ illegal.  _ Rantaro doesn’t get flustered easily- mostly because he tends to be so relaxed that nothing can phase him- but when she looks at him like that, and tells him that she wants to help him… he seriously feels like his heart is going to punch a hole in his ribcage. Kaede Akamatsu should be banned for prettiness crimes. Or something. Maybe even just for making him feel like he’s going to start crying and spilling all his deepest darkest secrets.

Kaede averts her gaze. “If it’s that you don’t want to tell me, though, I get it. I know you’re a secretive person and there’s no pressure, I just…” she bites her lip.

“No! No, no, that’s not it at all.” Rantaro reaches out to touch her face with his other hand, and Kaede looks at him, disbelieving. “I’m just- it’s not easy to talk about, y’know? I trust you.” He means it, right now, he really means it. “And I promise I’ll tell you soon. I just don’t want you to think any less of me because of it.” Oh, he didn’t mean to say that. Kaede’s eyes widen at him.

“Why would I think any less of you? It’s nothing bad, right? Because even if it was I wouldn’t hate you for it. Unless you murdered somebody, which is super bad, but even then I’d hear you ou-”

“I haven’t murdered anybody,” Rantaro chuckles despite himself. “It’s nothing  _ that  _ extreme.”

“Okay. Then it won’t lower my opinion of you.” Kaede smiles, pumping one of her fists with that triumphant, encouraging expression she always makes. “I’m dating you for a reason, you know! That’s because I like you. And whatever reason you’re always traveling around the world, it’s not going to make me like you any less.” She tilts her face slightly so she can kiss Rantaro’s wrist, as his hand is still cupping her cheek, and,  _ ah.  _ “But whenever you’re ready. Just know that once I know the reason I’m almost definitely going to ask to come with you.”

“Alright.” Rantaro finds himself smiling, even though he’s not sure if that’s going to remain the truth through everything. It’s in his nature to doubt people, even if he trusts them like he trusts Kaede. But for now he’s willing to make an exception. “You’re beautiful, you know.” He tells her, without really thinking about it.

Huffing, Kaede shoves his shoulder. “And you said you’re not a player.”

“I’m not!” Rantaro protests, but when she starts laughing, he does too, because she’s just teasing this time, and it’s clear by the way that her lips relax into a softer smile and she leans in to kiss him.

He’s really far gone on this one.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything for this ship yet but that doesn't mean I don't love it aight >:(( them's my kids
> 
> just, y'know, they're like. that. couple. and I'm too angsty for this shit
> 
> :3333 hope you enjoyed this one was my favourite so far bc I got to talk about how pretty Kaede is


End file.
